An ambitious programme by Pembrokeshire County Council to revitalise buildings in Haverfordwest came under the spotlight this week during a visit from Welsh Government deputy minister Hannah Blythyn.

The Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government visited two properties – the Grade II Pembroke House Hotel and the former Kiddicare shop at 29 High Street.

Both properties were derelict for many years until the intervention of Haverfordwest THI, which is co-ordinated by the regeneration unit at Pembrokeshire County Council.

Thanks to funding from the Welsh Government and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the properties have now been completely renovated.

Pembroke House Hotel has been converted into 21 apartments, with funding including £300,000 from the Welsh Government’s £31 million Town Centre Loans Fund, which is helping to bring underused sites in town centres back to life.

Jeff Taylor of Pembroke House Hotel, said:

“Taylor Made Homes are proud to have the opportunity to be building affordable homes for the people of Haverfordwest.”

The property at 29 High Street offers retail space on the ground floor and three residential units on the upper floors.

Richard Lawrence, Structural Engineer for PCC, said:

“Pembrokeshire County Council have taken pre-emptive action to address the issues with the former Kiddicare building.

“The property was in the ownership of the Crown Estate and had experienced some significant historic structural movements.

“Due to the failure of the open market to address the issues, the County Council has taken the project on to avoid the risk of future road closures in the event of further structural movement.”

The Welsh Government funding for 29 High Street included £71,000 of Targeted Regeneration Investment funding and £180,000 of Town Centre Loans funding.

Other projects recently completed by Haverfordwest THI include 2 Castle Square, the former Imperial Building at 17 High Street and the Greyhound Hotel in Mariners Square.

Pembrokeshire County Council Leader, David Simpson, said:

“I’m delighted that the Deputy Minister has made her way to Pembrokeshire to see some of the work we doing as part of our regeneration programme.

“I’m really proud of the way in which our Administration has committed itself to a programme of county-wide improvements and I and my Cabinet are excited about what this will bring to the region. We look forward to seeing these plans becoming a reality in the coming months and years.”

He added that the THI programme forms part of the wider regeneration of the county town.

“We are keen to coordinate Welsh Government funding and other several other exciting initiatives to demonstrate Pembrokeshire County Council’s ongoing commitment to transform and regenerate Haverfordwest,” he said.